When Lights Flicker

The Closet was cramped and dusty but that was to be expected, after all it had been years since anyone actually needed anything from it, aside from the rats and spiders that is. It was a fitting place to hold a dangerous psycho, away from possible victims or lethal weapons. Mark and James eyed the unconscious Splicer as he breathed in slow ragged breaths, it didn't matter to them that he was unconscious, he was still dangerous. They made sure not to take any unnecessary risks, James leaned against the wall behind the crazed Man as he slept. They placed him in an old steel desk chair and tied his feet, hands, and arms together for good measure. James stayed behind him so he could watch the Splicer's hands, if he tried to free his hands from the wiring around them the young Man was more than prepared to stop him, he didn't want the Splicer to even be alive let alone tied up close to their temporary home. He kept glancing back toward his friend, Mark sat on a bucket in front of the door, he had his fingers laced together as he waited for the Man to wake up from his forced slumber. Mark knew James didn't like the situation but frankly he didn't care, there were more pressing matters at hand than one lone Splicer and he deemed it necessary to try and get any information out of the Man that he could. Both Men knew that whatever the Splicer would say might just be mad rambling and useless gibberish but something the Splicer had said outside of the Hotel peaked Mark's interest, the only thing that his words peaked for James was his trigger finger and that feeling was obvious on his face.

They had been watching the Man for nearly two hours and had only gleamed one piece of information, ADAM had taken it's toll. The genetic super drug had disfigured him horribly both mentally and physically, his skin was smooth and drooping, like he was made of plastic and someone had held him too close to a flame. Like most Splicers he had abused ADAM and it had caused grotesque boils to form over his body covering parts of his legs, arms, torso, and neck. Mark couldn't see his torso but he would bet money that it held the boils as well, if his skin wasn't evidence enough then his clothes definitely were. He wore grey dress pants that were ripped in various places, on his knees especially, there were blood stains around the holes and his knees were leathery and callused indicating he had either fallen or knelt down uncountable times. When they first found him he had been on his knees in front of the Hotel ranting toward the sky and Mark guessed he most likely did that a lot, the rest of his clothes matched. He wore a soft brown sweater vest that was well worn in and filthy from yet more dirt, blood, and God knows what else. Under the vest the Man wore a dirty white button up shirt with one of it's sleeves ripped off half way up his arm, the shirt would normally be worn with a tie of some kind but that had probably been discarded ages ago. The Splicer's shoes were no better off, he wore black leather loafers with the toes missing and it made Mark grimace to see the Man's horribly long, yellow toenails, Splicers no longer cared for hygiene or fashion, all they cared about was their next fix. The Man's face and neck were just as disfigured as the rest of his body, a large patch of boils covered the left side of his upper body stretching from his collar bone to his ear and the skin was elevated from what Mark could only assume were more boils underneath his skin.

When the Splicer started to stir back into reality both Mark and James tensed for what was sure to be an eventful conversation. James held his Thomson sub-machine gun at the ready and Mark unconsciously put his hand on the grip of the revolver on his hip. The Splicer dragged his head upwards and slowly looked around to take in his surroundings, his eyes fell on the only other living thing he could see in the room and he stared at him. Mark met the Man's eyes with a steel gaze but he mentally prepared himself for whatever the Splicer might say, or scream, but the Man simply stared at him with an eerily content expression. Mark felt like the Splicer's gaze was piercing right through him and looking at something else, there was a cold, twisted look in his eyes. Mark kept his hand on his pistol when the Splicer began to smile showing his jagged yellow teeth, a smile that looked both disgusting and predatory at the same time and it filled him with a heavy annoyance. Mark glanced at James for only a second and returned his sight to the Man, when he opened his mouth to ask the Splicer a question he cut him off.

"Am I a dream?" The Splicer asked in a cold, eerie tone causing Mark to tense even more. The young Man blinked and opened his mouth to answer but the Man cut him off again.

"No, wait, how could I be? I was in the-" The Man stopped mid-sentence and his head jerked up to stare at Mark again with his mouth open.

"I can smell ADAM... inside you, inside both of you." The Splicer said as he turned his head slightly toward his shoulder. Mark looked at James and his friend only gritted his teeth, he really didn't like this already. James hadn't made any movements or sounds to give away his presence but the Splicer somehow knew he was there, he really didn't like this at all.

"If I cut it out of you it'll taste so sweet... like honey, sweet sweet sweet sweet sweet." The Madman groaned as he rolled his head and licked his chapped lips after he finished, Mark simply watched him in disgust, not sure how to proceed.

"What's your name?" Mark asked with a bitter tone, when his words left his mouth the Splicer's head jerked forward again to fix him with an intense stare. It was Mark's attempt to steer the conversation and the Man's insanity, he was tempted to just shoot him and be done with it but if they wanted to find out if the Man knew what was lurking in the maintenance tunnels beneath the City he would have to give it his all. The Man only stared and Mark sighed, deciding to take a more direct route he asked the Man about his earlier rantings.

"Earlier you were talking about a flood, or... darkness?" Mark asked attempting to pull information out of the Man, he saw his bloodshot eyes flit back and forth and could only guess at the number of insane thoughts behind them. The Splicer started to whimper slightly before he gave an unnerving laugh.

"You've seen it too, the flood! It'll be here soon and I have to build an Ark!" The Splicer yelled happily with wide eyes causing Mark to narrow his own.

"Of coarse there's a flood coming, this City's sinking." James spoke up with a scoff as he rolled his eyes. Mark glanced at him and then back to the Splicer who had turned his head trying to look at the Man behind him.

"Sinking yes! Sinking Sinking Sinking! No! but not with water..." The Splicer said quietly with a musical tone. Mark scrunched his brow trying to decipher what the Madman was talking about.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he peered into the Man's soulless eyes.

"Flood! The others! Flesh and bone! Teeth that gnaw and claws that pierce! We have to fly, fly to the sky!" The Splicer yelled frantically as he trailed off into his delusions. Mark sighed heavily now annoyed with the Lunatic sitting before him.

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?" Mark asked in a stern voice.

"I can hear them! See their legacy, their empire. What could we do but follow? Follow or fly follow or fly!" The Man sang causing Mark and James to both grit their teeth at his whimsical behavior.

"Fly or die! Fly or die! Fly or di-" Mark cut him off as he backhanded him in anger. James looked like he wanted to do the same and more, instead choosing to watch his friend. Mark got within a foot of the Splicer's face and he laughed before lunging at the young Man, he was chomping his teeth with an eerie clicking as his eyes stared into Mark's. This angered Mark even further and he struck the Man again, only this time it was his fist and not the back of his hand. He hit him again and again until the Splicer's mouth and nose were dripping with blood, he swayed dizzily and the only thing that had saved him was James as he pulled Mark away from him.

"Whoa buddy! information remember? We need answers." James said in an attempt to calm his best friend down. Mark was breathing heavily and continued to stare at the Splicer, he dragged his gaze up to James and took a deep breath. James looked back at the bloody psycho and shook his head when he met the Man's cold eyes, no wonder Mark got violent, just looking at the Guy James wanted to knock his teeth out too and Mark was actually trying to talk to him. If it had been him in Mark's shoes he would have done the same, probably worse.

"Don't let this guy get to you, he's a psycho, we knew trying to talk to a Splicer would be difficult." James said as he patted Mark's shoulder, Mark sighed as he swept his hair back and straightened the rolled up sleeves on his navy blue button up, he wiped some of the Splicer's blood from his chest and turned back to his friend. He was about to reply but he was cut off again as he heard their Captive groan.

"The others don't talk much either, they only eat and eat and eat. Black eyes and black souls, they only eat and eat and eat." The Man said in a whisper as he stared at the floor, James and Mark watched him as he whispered more nonsense before dragging his vision back up to them, fixing them with a chilling gaze.

"They like the darkness, they are the darkness, eat... and eat... and eat." The Man spoke with long drawn out words as a clear testament to his insanity. Mark gritted his teeth again and pushed James aside so he could get a better view of the Man.

"What are they?! Where are they?!" Mark yelled at him causing the Splicer to grin showing his bloody yellow smile. The lone closet light above them flickered dimly before stabilizing causing the Splicer's eyes to widen as he looked up and around the ceiling, his mouth hung open as he stared off into his thoughts. It was like he was listening to something, something he could barely hear and had to concentrate for it. After a few minutes of complete silence the Splicer looked back to Mark with fear clear on his face, the kind of fear that he had only seen Omega and Iota inspired in their insane adversaries. Their Captive licked his lips and whispered slowly, almost like he was worried someone other than his Captors might hear him.

"You want to know what's down their... in the darkness?" The Splicer asked in a barely audible tone, Mark looked to James as he shrugged.

"Tell us." Mark commanded sternly, the Splicer looked around like he was about to sell Mark something illegal and motioned for the young Man to lean in closer. Mark sighed and bent down a little, he didn't really want to get too close to the Man. The Splicer looked desperately and motioned for Mark to come closer, Mark looked back at his Partner in crime and sighed as he leaned within inches of the Splicer's face.

"They're hungry, angry, waiting." The Splicer whispered gently toward Mark, the young Man scrunched his eyebrows and leaned forward a little more. "Who are they?" Mark asked in a whisper, the Splicer's head shot forward as he tried to bite Mark's face with his yellowed teeth, luckily James pulled him back in time for Mark to only smell the Man's rancid breath. Mark felt the burning heat of anger rise inside of him as the Man laughed sadistically.

"They're us! they live bellow! and they eat... and eat... and ea-" The Splicer was cut off as Mark pulled the revolver from his holster and shot the Splicer in the face causing a large hole to form where his nose, eyes and forehead had been. Chunks of meat and blood now covering the wall behind him as his head lay back against the chair. James held his ears from the immense sound that flooded the tiny room when Mark pulled the trigger, after the ringing died down he turned to his friend and gave a slight chuckle.

"Looks like an improvement to me." He joked dryly, Mark didn't say anything, instead he put the revolver back in it's holster and left the room with James following after him. Mark didn't say anything on the way back upstairs, instead he chose to ponder the dead Splicer's words.

When Mark and James reached the third floor of the Hotel they were met by Joe again, it didn't surprise either Men, they knew everyone would hear the gunshot.

"I take it you ended the discussion with our friend?" Joe asked raising an eyebrow, Mark nodded still angry and caught in his thoughts.

"Didn't get much out of him. They like the darkness, they are the darkness, They're us, they live bellow, and they eat and eat and eat. Is all we could gather from the sick fuck." Mark answered quoting the Madman in the exact way he had said his warning. Joe sighed wearily and shook his head.

"Well it's more than we had I suppose, at least we know what happened to our missing dead men. It's not much but we all expected that from the start, get yourselves cleaned up and go relieve Vicki and Claid from their watch, it's supposed to be their off time." Joe said as he gestured to Mark's bloody shirt. Mark inspected the blood stains before looking back to Joe and frowning.

"Sorry Joe, I thought we could get more from him, I don't like being in the dark on this one, it feels..."

"Too dangerous to ignore? I know, I feel the same but you did what you could, next time just warn us before you bring a Splicer in for a visit." Joe said in a commanding yet soft tone as he gave them a smile. Both Mark and James chuckled slightly, they had expected to get an ear full but were pleasantly surprised.

"One more thing Joe." Mark said as they began walking off, Joe turned and lifted his eyebrows.

"Whatever's down there, that Splicer was scared out of his mind by it. What's the only thing we've ever seen that can put pure fear in a Splicer?" Mark asked, Joe thought for a moment before answering.

"The Protectors." He said as he looked back to Mark and James, they both nodded uneasily.

"Whatever's coming, it isn't happy, and it sure as hell isn't on our side." Mark said as he turned.

. . .

Omega, Anna, and Iota continued their walk out of Fontaine Futuristics and onto the street to begin their treck back to the Athena's Glory to reunite with their Allies. As they walked Anna couldn't help but inspect her new suit, it wasn't the advanced black nano fiber suits that her older Siblings wore but she couldn't be happier, this suit was hers and hers alone. She also couldn't help but to play with her new harvester, she relaxed her hand and then clenched her fist and watched the large needle shoot out, it reminded her of a switchblade and filled her with a sense of power. It was a good thing they could retract and deploy them at will so they wouldn't stab each other when they were interacting or when they needed to do tasks that required two hands, she would have to remember not to accidentally activate it and hurt anyone. It was yet another responsibility that came with her new role as a Big Sister.

Anna was shaken from her daydreaming when both Iota and Omega stopped walking, instinctively she did as well and looked to see why they had stopped. She didn't see any threats as she scanned the area but she definitely heard them, multiple threats actually, and they were close by. Omega pointed at Iota and Anna and then to the eye slits of his helmet and finally to the surrounding building's rooftops, they both nodded and split up to take their positions on both sides of the street atop old store buildings, thankfully Anna understood Protector tactics, after all they had been drilled into her from age ten. Usually Little Sisters started making the transition into their next role as Protectors at age ten and trained extensively until they were deemed fit for battle. Iota had been deemed fit at age thirteen, Omega didn't even remember when he had started fighting, likely, no one was alive that remembered other than Eleanor and Sofia Lamb. Anna had already been training to be a Big Sister but when the Family was attacked by Delta her instincts took over and she ran away with Lizzy to keep her out of his clutches, it may not have been the best decision because she missed out on training but that decision had likely saved her life, and Lizzy's. He watched Anna nimbly climb up the side of the building in just a few fluid motions, she had missed nearly a year but they had done their best to polish her skills and catch her up, all she needed now was the experience that all Protectors before her possessed. They needed to "Blood" her so to speak, to get her used to killing and fighting and all of the stress that came with it. Luckily for them all killing came easily to Protectors because of their strong instincts, they felt no remorse for their actions, no sadness, or shame. It was all to serve their purpose, to protect their Family, no matter the cost.

Omega gave a quick nod to his Siblings as they got into place, the Splicers had no doubt smelled the ADAM that they had either used or that was inside of them and most likely weren't expecting Protectors, especially three of them. Anna ducked down behind part of her store's roof that concealed the front with part of the building's design, Iota took the opposite side of the street and teleported to the roof in a plume of red smoke leaving Omega to stand alone in front of the building they had come from. Both Sisters chose buildings further down the street so they could easily get behind the incoming Splicers and swiftly discourage their curiosity. Omega cracked his neck from side to side and picked up a large piece of steel from an old barricade that had likely been used in the Rapture Civil War, it was large enough to cover his whole body except for his lower legs and had two handles on the inside under a small viewing window that he could use as a shield. When the Splicers turned the corner and saw him he simply stood still, waiting for them to make their move. The Splicers had been discussing something he had no interest in, likely nonsense anyway but when they caught sight of his black suit and his red visor slits they froze. Omega counted them and assessed their strength in less than a second. Nine enemies, two with sub-machine guns, three with revolvers, and four that were wielding pipes, wrenches and knives. When he finally registered in the Splicer's minds they clicked into action, the scent of ADAM and it's promising high making them fearless. The five Lead head Splicers took cover at the far end of the street and opened fire as the Thuggish Splicers charged forward with their melee weapons. Omega gave a roaring screech that was the signal for his Siblings to attack and all hell broke loose. The Brother raised his large makeshift shield in front of him and watched his Sisters jump down from the buildings they had been on to engage the Splicers on the far end, he would deal with the enemies that were charging him. Bullets ricochet off of his shield in a magnificent display of sparks as he darted forward to confront the four Thuggish Splicers, he kept the shield raised until the fire stopped, Iota and Anna had the attention of the gunmen now.

He continued charging forward and slammed the shield into a Man causing him to fly back several feet and roll to a stop, pivoting on his left leg Omega swung the shield with his left arm and smashed it into another Splicer hard enough to shower the front of the cover in blood from the Man's skull. He tossed the weapon aside and clenched his fist causing his Harvesting needle to shoot out to it's full length with a sharp clank, blocking a knife that was coming for his throat he turned to his left and threw a heavy front kick into a Female Splicer's stomach sending her to the ground as well. Omega continued blocking the knife wielding Man until the Splicer stumbled on a piece of rubble, it was all the opening he needed, the Brother spun around the Man as he steadied himself and shot his Harvester into the back of the Splicer's head. Omega snarled and kicked the Man's corpse free from his blade, he then moved toward the two Splicers he had knocked down before and growled as he made his way to them.

Anna's heart was racing when she heard her Brother's war cry, she leapt from the building's cover Harvester first, as luck would have it she had gotten the side with three Splicers and Iota would deal with the other two. She knew her Siblings could handle themselves but the urge to keep them safe was nearly overwhelming, causing her to lose all care for her own life, she needed to deal with these three and help the others if they needed it. If she were too slow they could get hurt, if she were careless she could get hurt and then they would have to deal with even more enemies and she couldn't allow that. Anna sped to the ground where her steel boots met a Splicer's body, knocking him onto his stomach she reached her hands down and twisted his neck causing a thick cracking sound to fill her ears. A small smile crept onto her face as her eyes went wide when she felt the Man's neck snap. The resistance of his muscles and spine as she twisted his head around gave her a twisted satisfaction that she couldn't quite explain. Anna felt her body heat up and adrenaline surge through her veins, her Protector instincts now in full control of her actions. The two other Splicers that had taken cover with her victim behind an old sandbag wall turned and growled, they turned their guns on her but before they could blink she acted. She launched her left hand out and shot a ball of Incinerate into the Female's face causing her to scream in pain as her flesh sizzled and popped from the inferno, the Male Splicer got a single shot out of his Thomson that bounced off of Anna's armor making her feel even more empowered. Her kick removed the weapon from his grasp, She balanced on her left leg after kicking the gun and sent a second kick into the Man's face making him fly back over the sandbag wall behind him toward her Brother, Anna pulled the still screaming Female Splicer to her and impaled her on her new Harvesting Needle lifting her up into the air, with a few gurgled groans the Woman went limp and Anna chuckled darkly as she grinned under her helmet. The new Sister tossed the Woman's body aside with the flick of her arm and stepped over the sandbags toward the Man she had kicked, her tongue played with one of her sharp K9's as she saw him look at her with horror on his face. She could only imagine how he felt, they had thought they were going to over power a lone Protector, cut him open, and take the ADAM inside for their disgusting habit.

She was still smiling as she reached him and he began crawling backwards away from her, Anna chuckled again sending another bolt of fear through the Man. She was done being weak, done looking like the Rat at her feet when danger presented itself. Anna strode up to the Man and lifted her boot, she brought it down on his face slamming his skull into the ground. She was done being a Rat, done running and hiding when Predators showed themselves, she was the Predator now. Her boot made a crunch from the first impact and she brought it away so she could look at her Prey, his skull was shattered and blood leaked from his broken face as well as every other hole in his head, but he was twitching, that small sign of life filled her with more anger and her Protector instincts screamed at her "Threat!".

She brought her boot up again and slammed it down on the Man growling a second time, fully crushing his skull, when she pulled her boot back for the second time she expected to see more movement but no, the threat had ended. Without hesitation she turned to search for her Siblings hoping they hadn't been hurt while she was dealing with her own enemies, pure relief washed over her when she spied them. Omega was draining ADAM from a Woman he held in the air with his Harvester and Iota was sitting on a trashcan with her legs crossed watching both Omega and her. Her Sister only had to deal with two enemies and had likely killed both of them as soon as she hit the ground. Iota gave Anna a lighthearted screech and beckoned her over, Anna didn't question her, her body started moving before she realized she had willed it to do so. When she reached her Sister she was panting from all of the adrenaline in her, she was excited that she had been able to fight with them, to protect them like they had her. Iota starred at her from beneath her helmet for a few moments and then brought her hand up to rub Anna's helmet, Anna tilted her head curiously and brought her own hand up to feel where Iota was rubbing.

"What is it Sister?" She asked as her fingers brushed across her Sister's, Iota guided Anna's fingers to the spot, through her gloves she could feel the slightest dent in the metal and a rough spot surrounding it, her mind flashed back to the one shot that the Splicer had made during her fight, her instincts and adrenaline were so overwhelming at the time she didn't even notice she had been shot. It surprised her that she hadn't noticed it but soon accepted that it was just how Protectors were, Omega had done the same for her and both him and Iota had countless dents and scratches in their armor plates from numerous battles.

"That Man shot me, the one I killed. I didn't even notice, or it's more like I wasn't able to notice." She said in surprise as she recalled how unbelievably high her anger had gotten during their fight. It clouded her thoughts when it came to danger against herself, she made a mental note to remember to try and remain calm in future fights.

Iota gave her a screeching chuckle and stood up, she put the forehead of her helmet to Anna's as her hands wrapped the side of the helmet, Anna smiled and felt a wave of happiness slowly wash over her shaking body. Iota was proud of her, very proud of her, and by the way Omega was standing he was as well. He stood in his usual arms crossed fashion but instead of the predatory look his body language normally conveyed his head was just a little higher than normal and it made Anna smile under her helmet.

After gathering what ammo, money, and meager medical supplies they could from their dead foes the three Protectors headed back toward the Athena's Glory. Every once in a while they would run into another group of Splicers and take care of them, they could have snuck past most of them without incident but Anna needed all of the practice she could get. With every kill she made Anna beamed with delight, This was turning out to be one of, if not the best day she had ever experienced in her life. On the way back the Trio would stop every now and then to either rest or snack to regain the massive amount of calories that fighting burned. Iota showed Anna where the best places to find food were and Omega would show her the best places to eat it in peace, they were small things but it was important that every Protector learned the tricks of the trade and Anna had two of the best teachers there were. When the three of them reached the district that their base was housed in they surveyed the surrounding area of the Hotel to make sure it was free from any threats and made their way inside. They passed James and Mark on the way into the Hotel's entrance, they were carrying a dead Splicer and froze when they spied Omega and Iota but what really knocked them back was the fact that there was a third Protector with them. Their eyes went wide and they dropped the Corpse from shock, they didn't know what to do, should they reach for their weapons, run? Before the young Men could do anything the new Protector removed her helmet and Anna could almost hear their jaws drop when they looked into her illuminated eyes. She flashed them a smile before looking at the Corpse they had been holding before, her expression changed to a mixture of disgust and anger.

"That thing manage to get inside?" She asked as the corner of her mouth turned up in a sneer, both James and Mark blinked a few times and fumbled for words. They were encouraged when Iota gave a sharp screech and they jumped back from whatever thoughts they had been juggling.

"Y-Yeah, no, I mean, it's a long story." James answered still obviously shaken from the sight in front of them. It wasn't just Anna's Big Sister suit that threw them off, it was her posture, her tone, everything about her was different. It was like being hit by a truck, She held the same commanding aura her older Siblings did but she could voice her anger, if she started ripping their guts out at least she could tell them why.

"James and I knocked this Guy out and questioned him for information, needless to say it didn't go so well." Mark answered as he starred at her. When she heard his explanation her eyes narrowed with anger and both Men looked at each other nervously.

"You brought a Splicer, a Monster into our Home, are you insane!?" Anna's voice roared, her eyes glowing fiercely. Mark and James took one look at her fangs they had always been able to ignore and visibly jumped before glancing at the two deadlier Protectors behind her, it was no good, they were expecting an answer too.

"You think this is crazy!? The real question is what happened to you!?" James asked in shock still not wanting to believe his eyes.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Anna asked, as she studied the looks on their faces her anger died out, they were... afraid of her. She felt her chest tighten a little at the pain their demeanor gave her, they thought she was a freak. Seeing the sudden change from anger to sadness Mark finally collected himself, She looked like one of Lamb's Monsters but... she didn't act like one. She clearly had a conscious, knew right from wrong, and she hadn't disemboweled them yet so it was obvious she didn't have their temper. He felt ashamed at his earlier behavior, it was still Anna, if it weren't they would all be dead.

"You look amazing but so different! What happened to you?" Mark asked in slightly faked excitement. He sighed when his gamble payed off, Anna's expression lightened and she looked back to her Siblings before turning to him.

"I'm a Protector now, I passed my trials." She said softly as she rubbed the Greek symbol on the back of her glove. Both Mark and James looked concerned but gave her warm smiles, they could see how much it meant to her, when both Omega and Iota put a hand on her shoulders they realized how much it meant to them too.

"We're counting on you then." James said softly, the last thing he wanted was to have a Protector's anger directed at them, especially three of them put together. If those three decided to go on a rampage he was sure no force in Heaven or Hell could save them, if such places even existed.

"We all are." Mark mimicked his Friend's tone and nodded to her. Anna smiled and wiped the moisture from her eyes before it could form full tears, she nodded back and smiled at her Friends.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you Guys, my Protector instincts took over for a minute and all I could think of was the danger a Splicer posed if it got inside our Home." Anna explained giving them a slightly embarrassed look.

"Oh don't worry, I thought it was fucking stupid too!" James said causing Mark to glare at him, James only smirked and gave him a shrug.

"You said your Protector instincts kicked in. What does that mean?" Mark asked. Anna's expression lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. She explained how a Protector's instincts worked, how they made her a more efficient Guardian and deadly beyond definition. She explained how all Protectors possessed it, that it was a part of them as much as their other five senses, that it drove them to fight any threat no matter how impossible the odds and all in the name of their Family. When she got to the part that you had to kill someone for them to fully develop both Mark and James shot each other surprised glances.

"Wait, so you have to kill a threat for the instincts to fully mature?" Mark asked raising an eyebrow. Anna nodded in excitement. Fully aware that they were still out in the open in front of the Hotel both Omega and Iota had stopped paying attention to the story a while ago. They scanned the area instead, they had lived the story once and had no desire to listen to it a second time, for them, talking was overrated, they had better things to do at the moment. They weren't in the safest place for story time but their Charge worked hard today and she deserved her bragging rights.

"The first three were tough because I didn't have my suit or Harvester yet, all I had were my hands and my Brother's knife. I wasn't expecti-" She was cut off when James yelled suddenly.

"Three!? With only your hands and a knife!?" James yelled as he swept his dirty blond hair back in surprise. Anna laughed and told them the rest of the story causing more shock to grow on their faces, James was eating her story up and had completely forgotten about the dead Splicer they were supposed to dispose of but Mark was a different story. He glanced over toward Omega and Iota who were walking around the empty street looking at the abandoned buildings. Anna was different because of them, she wasn't the sweet innocent Girl that played with Lizzy to keep her from being afraid, he knew they had turned her into a weapon the moment he saw her and the way she glowed when she talked about killing Splicers made him feel more than a little regretful. Mark shook his head and turned back to the new Protector before him, he may not like that she had to change but he knew it was necessary and he knew that her Siblings only did it to help her as well as the others in the group. He silently cursed their circumstances, the sacrifices everyone had made, and the sacrifices still to come.

"Alright! Anna's a Badass now!" James yelled in excitement when Anna finished her story. The new Big Sister giggled at his enthusiasm and sighed. She looked back to the Splicer they had dropped earlier and her eyebrows scrunched up.

"So did you learn anything from that filth?" She asked with a lighthearted tone, it was still obvious she regarded the Splicer with disgust. Mark looked back at the body and the huge hole in it's face that his revolver had caused.

"About as much as you'd expect, crazy ramblings and infuriating insanity." He answered.

"That figures, they're nothing but Vermin." She spat as she stared at the ugly Corpse.

"He did say some pretty ominous things about the darkness though, said there was a flood coming whatever that refers to." James added as he recalled their interrogation, Anna shook her head and he shrugged, he thought the Splicer was crazy too.

"I'll let you guys get back to dealing with that thing, we have to go see Liz." Anna said as she gestured to the Corpse, she was eager to get back and make sure Lizzy was alright, even if she wasn't a Little Sister anymore they still regarded her as Family. Omega and Iota no doubt wanted to get back and make sure everything was safe as well, they had made their way back to Anna from the street as soon as they heard her goodbyes. As James and Mark picked up their Corpse by it's arms and legs, the three Protectors made their way inside. They passed Vicki and Craig on the stairs, both Humans just looked at them with pure shock and slack jaws. As they continued up the stairs the Trio heard Vicki get on her radio.

"Uuh Doc, they're back." They heard her choke out in an amazed voice. When the three of them reached the top of the stairs and opened the double doors leading to the hallway they could already smell Lizzy's scent. She was no doubt waiting on them to return and had likely been waiting all day, when they turned the corner and passed the elevator their suspicions were confirmed. Lizzy's face lit up when she saw her three Siblings and released Tenenbaum's hand to run and meet them, Tenenbaum just watched with a sad smile as she caught sight of Anna's new Big Sister armor.

"You're back!" Lizzy yelled as she reached them, Anna knelt down with her arms out and caught her little Sister in a fierce hug. Lizzy hugged Anna tightly then did the same to Omega and Iota before standing back in front of Anna again to inspect her new suit.

"You're a Big Sister now! You look so pretty!" She yelled with excitement as her tiny fists shook. Anna laughed and held her helmet up so Lizzy could see it, Lizzy put both of her small hands on it before trying it on and squealing with more excitement. Anna's scent filled the helmet and gave the small girl a deep feeling of warmth and safety.

"That's right, now I can really keep you safe." Anna said as she smiled at Lizzy's awe. Lizzy jerked the large helmet off of her head and beamed at her older Siblings.

"Did you give the bad Men bruises!?" She asked as she handed Anna's helmet back to her.

"Oh yeah! They were seeing stars and birdies when we got done with them!" Anna explained not wanting to trouble her Sister with the gruesome details of her trials. Lizzy giggled and dug her hand into a pocket on her blue dress, when she pulled it out she revealed a small Big Sister doll made from common household junk. It was made from a child's toy Lizzy had painted to match a Big Sister's armor, black shoulders, gloves, chest, and boots. The doll wore an old spherical wine bottle lid for a helmet that had a red porthole painted in the middle, on the doll's wrist was a sewing needle that had the sharp end cut off so Lizzy wouldn't hurt herself with it, likely Tenenbaum's doing, for safe measure there was also a piece of cork on the tip of the needle for extra safety. Strapped to the Doll's back was an old battery that mimicked an air tank. Anna smiled and took the Doll from her Sister's small hands.

"I made this for you, Ms. Tenenbaum said you would like it and Aunt Grace helped me make it." Lizzy smiled when she handed the Doll to her older Sister. Lizzy pulled the helmet off of the Doll's head to reveal a crudely painted face and black hair on the Doll's head.

"Do you like it?" Lizzy asked nervously as she looked at her Sister. Anna smiled and hugged her younger Sister again.

"I love it Liz, thank you!" She said happily as she felt Lizzy's hug tighten. Lizzy pulled back and put on a determined face as she pointed at her Sister.

"It's a good luck Doll so you have to keep it on you forever!" She said sternly, she was unaware of how comical she looked to everyone else. Anna chuckled and opened a pouch on her belt, she slid the Doll gently inside and patted it with a smile.

"There, now she'll be safe and sound." Anna said as she stood up to her full height, she reached her hand down and took hold of Lizzy's. The younger girl continued to play with the various straps and armor on Anna's suit as Tenenbaum made her way to them.

"You look well Anna, or should I call you Psi now?" The older Woman asked with a faint smile as she gestured to the back of Anna's glove. Anna looked at her symbol and smiled confidently.

"I would go by Psi if I didn't have a name already so Anna is fine." She answered as she glanced back at her Siblings, neither of them had real names, like most Protectors they couldn't even remember their lives before being indoctrinated but she had a name. It was funny how little she had regarded something as common as a name, until she looked at her Siblings that was, they had no names, they were always just considered numbers, tools, weapons. It made her feel so sad for them, that they were forced to endure such a life, she could never imagine how so alone they must have felt. Lizzy had actually given Anna her name a long time ago when they were running from both Delta and the Splicers. It was a name she liked and it was given to her by someone she loved so she couldn't just discard it for a number. Tenenbaum smiled as she looked at the four Siblings, their sight gave her hope. Omega and Iota were clearly the backbone of their new Family, both Anna and Lizzy looked at them with such awe, their fearless older Siblings ready to fight any foe and suffer any injury for them, to make unbelievable sacrifices for their sake. It was also quite troubling, She knew that if a tragedy did happen they would put their Family first before their Human Allies. It wasn't the best situation but she knew they couldn't help it, with their Protector instincts it was just their nature.

"Please, come to the meeting room and tell me all that has happened." Tenenbaum gestured toward the empty meeting room with her hand and Anna smiled sorrowfully.

"Promise you won't judge me?" Anna asked hesitantly as she remembered James and Mark's expressions when she told them, she didn't feel very comfortable explaining the gory details of her transformation but the look on the Doc's face told her she wanted every single detail. The question actually surprised the Doctor, Tenenbaum sighed and gave her a knowing smile.

"Young one, I have no right to judge you or anyone else. I have committed sins that are beyond forgiveness, there is nothing you could say that would change my opinion of you or your Siblings." She said gesturing to Omega and Iota. Anna sighed and gave a small shrug, something in the Doctor's face told her she wasn't lying so she would comply.

"Alright, lead the way." She said as she looked to her older Siblings for assurance, they both nodded and Anna gave them a small smile.

"Lizzy why don't you play with Iota and Omega, you haven't been able to play with them because of all my training have you?" Anna asked as she looked down to the girl holding her hand, Lizzy shook her head sadly.

"I didn't want to get in the way." Lizzy answered her as she looked at the floor. Omega saw his Mate tense up at her words, Iota felt ashamed that she hadn't had time for her lately and Omega knew she had been worrying about the girl. The Brother reached his hand toward Lizzy and gave her a low screech, Anna smiled and nodded to them.

"Why don't you guys go for a walk? Maybe they can help you find some more coloring books!" Anna asked with excitement when she remembered Lizzy had filled up some of Danny's notebooks with scribbles and drawings in Crayon, he wasn't very pleased with that but as far as Lizzy went nobody could stay mad at her, she was just too sweet.

"Can we!?" Lizzy asked excitedly, Omega looked to Iota and then nodded. Lizzy's face brightened as she took a hand from both of her Siblings. Iota smiled thankfully from under her helmet, Omega knew her better than anyone ever would so it was no surprise that he would agree.

"When we get back can we play, Anna?" Lizzy asked before Anna could turn to follow Tenenbaum.

"Sure thing!" Anna said with a smile as she watched her Siblings turn to walk back down the hallway, on the way out both Omega and Iota dropped the supplies they had gathered from their earlier fight off in the supply room with Danny, they gathered a few snacks for Lizzy and headed out. Anna turned to follow Tenenbaum back to the meeting room anxious of what they were going to talk about. Omega, Iota, and Lizzy made their way down the hallway toward the Elevator, Lizzy stayed in the middle laughing as her Siblings swung her back and forth with their hands as she held her feet off the ground. Hearing their younger Sister laugh was one of the most beautiful sounds in the entire world as far as they were concerned, her smile eased their minds and calmed their nerves slightly. Protecting a Little Sister was relatively simple as far as their duty went, keep them out of the Splicer's hands and they would be fine, even if they took a bullet to the head the ADAM Slug in their stomachs would almost instantly heal them. The only real danger was if a Splicer managed to pull the Slug out of their stomachs, it was one of the very few things that could actually kill them. Lizzy was no longer a Little Sister however, if she were to get shot she wouldn't heal in a matter of seconds, if she hit her head too hard she might fall unconscious and never wake up. Omega gritted his teeth as he felt her tiny hand in his, she was Human now, so weak, so fragile. He was surprised Tenenbaum let them take her out at all, of coarse Tenenbaum didn't let them do anything, they did what they wanted and dared anyone to try and stop them. They didn't need anyone's permission to do their duty, especially since their Human Allies weren't exactly on par with Iota and Omega, or even Anna for that matter. He and his Siblings would have to be extra careful to keep Lizzy out of harm's way from now on, one stray bullet, one surprise explosion, or even a hard enough hit could fatally wound the small girl. The Brother mentally sighed, it was starting to feel like Rapture itself was out to make his job as difficult as possible.

Since the Athena's Glory Hotel was located in a lush and lavish district most of the stores there catered to either business, or pleasure. Nobody that came to the district would've been concerned with their Child's happiness if they even had any. Instrument stores, five star restaurants, liquor Lounges, and spas were the most common establishments in the district. They had to travel to the next district over to find stores even remotely close to having Children's toys and even then they were few and far in between. Neither Omega or Iota cared though, they were happy just spending time together and the fact that Lizzy was there made it even better. They used the same tactics they did with Anna, Iota would scout ahead for threats and eliminate them, Omega with his larger form would sweep Lizzy away to safety acting as a massive shield until Iota had dealt with the threat. Every now and then Iota would stop and enter different clothing stores, she had found a small white dress and matching hair pin for Lizzy. She even found Anna one and sneakily slid it into Lizzy's small red backpack they had brought to hold their lunch. It made the Big Sister chuckle happily, Anna and Lizzy would have matching dresses now, if they ever had the chance to wear them that is. Iota decided to exclude herself from getting a dress, she was happy with her suit, that and the fact that if she did get one her Mate would most likely rip it off of her the moment he saw her in it. Iota's face heated up at the thought, a devilish smile grew on her face as she snatched a new pair of lacy black panties from a lingerie rack and stuffed them into one of her belt pouches for later use. She glanced over to make sure Omega hadn't seen her do so, thankfully he was holding Lizzy's hand while he stood outside the store, with him on high alert he wouldn't be paying attention to what she was doing inside. He would be more concerned about any possible threats, it gave her a tickling sensation in her stomach when she thought about what his face would look like when he saw her in her new "Attire". Iota smiled and made her way back outside of the store, when she stepped out of the hole in the wall she could clearly hear Lizzy's stomach start to rumble. Omega had noticed it too, both Protectors decided that it was a good time for a lunch break and found a secluded spot on a rooftop behind a large billboard.

After lunch the trio decided to inspect a few more stores before heading back, they looted supplies that everyone had asked them for if they came across them in the field. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, bandages, ammo, and toilet paper. Toilet paper being worth it's weight in gold was always a welcome sight. They gathered all of the supplies and headed back out onto the street to continue looking for the coloring books they had promised their youngest Sibling.

Omega looked up to his Mate as her head gently bobbed from side to side, Iota was scouting out the street ahead and humming a screeching song from under her helmet, the hauntingly beautiful melody drew his attention as he walked with Lizzy.

"Big Brother?" Lizzy asked quietly, the trepidation in her voice sparked Omega's Protector sense to snap his attention toward her. He turned his head and looked down beside him to give his Charge a questioning screech. Iota had heard the girl's tone and turned to see what was wrong as well, with a wave of Omega's hand she knew the situation was taken care of and continued her search. The expression on Lizzy's face looked worried and unsure, Omega checked the area around them before kneeling down to get closer to her, something was troubling her and he aimed to ease her worries.

"Will we ever be able to leave Rapture?" Lizzy asked with concern in her small voice, Omega tilted his head for a moment as he pondered the young girl's question and then nodded. She didn't say anything but He could see her lip trembling and the uncertainty in her eyes, Omega watched her in silence for a few moments before he unlatched his helmet and pulled it from his head. Lizzy looked up at him and took in a shaking breath, she stared into his glowing eyes like they were oceans of comfort and safety, because they were for her. She knew her Siblings would never lie to her but even they could be wrong, couldn't they?

"I'm scared Big Brother, I'm so scared..." She whispered as she looked at the ground and wiped her wet eyes. Omega gave her a sharp screech and placed his large hand on her shoulder, he flashed her a small smile before pulling her to him in a hug. She seemed like she was having so much fun spending time with them and now her mood had changed completely, like she had been hiding her fear but couldn't any longer. She was so small compared to him but it surprised him at how tight she squeezed her arms around his neck, he didn't understand how she felt, he couldn't understand how she felt. Protectors didn't feel fear the way Humans could, for a Protector it was more of a switch that only turned on when their Family was in danger and even then it was more anger than anything. He was incapable of feeling the pure fear that their Human Allies could. After all, Protectors were the Apex Predators of Rapture, possibly even the world, the only thing they "Feared" was failing in their duties to protect their Charges. All of the Humans in their group felt trapped, constant fear plagued their minds at night, it even stayed in the back of their minds during the day. like a fly buzzing around a small room, you could do things to take your mind off of it but you always know it'll be back. They worried when the next attack would come, where and what it would come from or who would be the next of their friends to die. Protectors were always ready for the next attack, prepared for what might attack, and ready to die for their Charges or other Protectors. Omega may not understand a Human's fear but he understood why they were scared, they weren't nearly as hard to kill as Protectors were. They didn't have super regenerative abilities that could keep them alive, hell, Omega sustained enough damage in a single fight that would kill most Humans. They didn't have reinforced bones that were nearly impossible to break, they didn't have advanced senses like night vision or being able to hear a whisper from twenty feet away. They didn't hold a candle to Protectors and yet, they were still alive. Through everything that had happened in Rapture the Humans somehow managed to survive and stave off ADAM addiction. He had to respect their resilience, but then again Human's were crafty, dangerous in their own right. Omega was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Iota's sharp screech as she approached them. Lizzy wiped her eyes again and smiled at her Sister when she noticed what she had in her arms.

"Did you find them?!" Lizzy asked looking to the books in her Sibling's hands, Iota nodded and showed her the coloring books she had found in the various rundown stores. Lizzy jumped up and ran to inspect the books as her Brother put his helmet back on, he watched Lizzy explain the pictures inside to Iota and rubbed his throat. He wished he could speak to them, to tell them he would protect them from any danger no matter the odds but it was impossible. He would just have to let his actions do the talking for him.

As the three Siblings made their way back to the Hotel they noticed street lights that were still working began flickering slightly and both Protectors felt a certain nervousness in their stomachs. It started steadily building, creeping it's way over them like a dense fog. Iota instinctually pulled Lizzy close to her and both Guardians felt the very air get heavier, their eyes surveyed the area but they didn't hear anything aside from the gentle hum of the flickering lights and they didn't feel like they were in danger, they did feel like danger was close though. It felt like they were being circled, watched by hungry eyes waiting to pounce. Omega clenched his fists unconsciously, it was the same feeling he always got when he knew an ambush was coming, like the Splicers were watching him and preparing to open fire, the same feeling he got when he investigated the missing Corpses in the Hotel's Basement. It was a feeling both Protectors recognized all too well, the intense feeling of something wanting you dead, something hungry, angry, vengeful... something that held no mercy for it's Victims and in this case it looked like the three Siblings. The two Protectors searched every alleyway, every window, nook and shadow but they found nothing, they expected Splicers to charge them at any minute. The attack never came, after a few more intense moments the feeling passed as suddenly as it had come, the air went back to being weightless and the lights went back to their usual illumination. They could have almost sworn they had imagined the whole thing. Both Iota and Omega sighed as they looked at each other with questioning glances. That's when they noticed Lizzy, her eyes were wide open and she was hugging Iota's leg for dear life. Her face was pale, she was breathing sharply and both Guardians could hear her little heart pounding in her chest. Both Protectors pulled their helmets off and knelt in front of her with worry on their features, they hadn't even considered how that situation had affected her. Iota shushed Lizzy and rubbed her back gently as she attempted to calm her, Omega was scanning the area for any clue to what had just happened. Lizzy looked at her Sister and tears began pouring down her face, she threw herself into Iota's chest and pressed hard against her. Iota's eyes went wide when she realized just how much the girl was shaking, whatever had happened, whatever that feeling was that washed over them, it terrified Lizzy. It felt like the air had been pressing down on Iota's shoulders but when she looked at her youngest Sibling it looked like it had been suffocating the poor girl, Iota gritted her teeth and scanned the street again. No Splicers had ever caused such a feeling of danger to wash over them like that, her Instincts were screaming in her head to get her Mate and her Sister away. Iota looked to Omega for reassurance but she received none, he was gritting his teeth and his eyes were still looking for any sign as to what had caused their earlier feeling, his instincts were no doubt as agitated as hers. Omega gave a hasty screech to his Mate and Iota jumped up taking Lizzy with her, they began sprinting back toward the Hotel as fast as they could, Lizzy was so petrified she couldn't say a word. Both Protectors ran through tunnels, rounded corners and jumped over old barricades from long ago. They entered one of Rapture's many underwater sky tunnels and Omega slid to a stop on the dirty marble floor below, Iota passed him but stopped as well and turned to see what had caused him to pause. Lizzy was almost hyperventilating and Omega was now just standing there in the tunnel's entrance watching, listening. His head jerked from side to side and that's when Iota heard what he was listening for, the deep sound of a widespread power outage. Off in the distance they heard the terrified scream of a Splicer, then another one, three more, ten, twenty. An entire chorus of fearful death throws filled the district they had just been in. Blood curdling and pain filled screams came from every direction. Iota's mouth hung open as she listened to the screams and gunfire, she had no idea what was causing so much death but she knew one thing for certain, it was getting closer.

Iota starred down the long, abandoned street adjacent to the tunnel they were in, the lights were flickering furiously. Every light she could see from store buildings, apartments, and street lamps were dancing in a stunning and unnerving show of light and darkness. One by one lights started bursting from the uncontrolled power flowing to them, both Protector's heads snapped toward every light that busted. They studied the light show for a moment before all at once every visible light went dark and everything went deathly silent. The only sounds they could pick up were faint drops of water, the sound of their own beating hearts, and their own breathing. Iota's nerves were shot, she had a million questions running through her head but the biggest one was the new sound they heard. Iota started breathing heavily, her heartbeat sped up and every piece of her Protector instinct was screaming at her to get Lizzy and Omega to safety. It was the strange feeling from before times a million and Omega was feeling it too. The district in front of them was pitch black but with their night vision both Protectors could pick out movement in the darkness, the sound of clicking filled the endless void and it was creeping closer. They could hear faint breathing and hissing coming from the endless void in front of them, the sounds of rubble being disturbed and broken glass being stepped on as their unseen enemy raced toward the only source of light left in the district, the tunnel the three siblings were standing in.

Omega turned and jumped when he realized Iota hadn't kept running with Lizzy like he expected, the Brother pointed down the tunnel they were in and roared a massive, commanding screech that startled even his Mate. Iota's instincts hit her like a truck when she payed attention to them and she turned, sprinting to the other end of the tunnel toward light. Omega heard the clicking getting closer and weighed his options, every fiber of his being wanted him to stay and destroy the obvious threat but he turned and saw Iota running with Lizzy and reconsidered. Unknown threat, unknown numbers, and an uncertain outcome made his choice for him, he was at a tactical disadvantage... again. Omega gritted his teeth in anger. His Mate, his younger Siblings and even the Humans depended on him to stop the threat somehow but if he stayed to fight and the threat managed to get past him they would reach the district their temporary base was located, endangering everyone under his and Iota's protection, he couldn't accept that. Omega thought fast and jumped up grabbing the tunnel's heavy blast door, with all of his strength he pulled the door down and slammed it into the floor, he used Winter Blast to freeze the bottom locking it in place. He took a step back when he heard a massive thud from the other side, like it had been hit with a flood of water, he heard scratching and banging against the thick metal and searched for some way to seal the door forever. Omega found his solution when he saw a small crack in the tunnel's thick glass, a steady stream of water was leaking from it and he quickly moved toward it. Clenching his fist the Brother launched a heavy punch into the small crack causing it to leak a little more, he continued hitting it until he saw a large crack shoot upward and stop at a steel support beam. With lightning speed Omega took one of James' homemade grenades from his belt and snapped his fingers lighting the fuse, the Brother took off sprinting in the direction Iota had before and he spun around to hurl the explosive toward the leaking wall.

Iota watched as she stood at the end of the tunnel holding Lizzy in her arms, the explosion tore through the tunnel and a tidal wave of salt water flooded into Rapture. Iota's legs were shaking, she wanted to help him, to hold out her hand to him but her duty to Lizzy came first, her instincts wouldn't let her move, only watch. Omega was moving as fast as he could but the sea was catching up to him, Iota heard the gears of the blast door on her side start turning and it raced to the ground to seal the breech Omega had caused. The door sped toward the ground and just as it was about to meet it's destination Omega slid under the closing door bringing some of the Sea with him. Iota let loose the breath she had unknowingly held in and darted to his side, she hugged her Mate fiercely as he stood up. Both Protectors immediately inspected Lizzy for any wounds she might have sustained in her new fragile form, she was unconscious, likely due to passing out from fear but she was unharmed. Iota watched her Mate take his helmet off and walk over to the large glass window beside the tunnel he had sealed, he was panting heavily and she could see the stress on his face. She gently adjusted Lizzy in her arms and moved over to him, she took off her helmet and dropped it when she saw what he was looking at. Her helmet landed with a heavy thud and her eyes went wide, the district they had just come from was completely black, no light at all was present, seven entire buildings had gone completely dark. They continued searching for signs of life but they found nothing, only black windows stared back at them. It was a sight they had never seen before, even when parts of the City flooded some light remained, either neon signs outside or waterproof lights on the inside would stay on because they were connected to the geothermal power grid but this was different... there was no light anywhere in that district... only that chilling darkness... only death.